New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-14
TO ABOLISH THE INDIAN BUREAU.

4 MOVEMENT FOR REPLACING THE PRESENT sYs-
TEN WITH ONE NOT IN THE EXCLUSIVE INTER
Est OF TENNESSEE.
WORCESTER, Feb. IS (SpeciaD Worcester has
been the birthplace Of more than one reform move
ment, and perhaps that is the reason this cit, wac
selected as the place in which to take the initial steps
in popular agitation which its friends confidently
hope vii! result 10 the improvement OF the condition of
the Indians in his country and the correction OF the
abuses aud scandals which for many years have
marked the mats cement OF their affairs. The III
nent originated with the Boston Indian Citizenship
Committee, and its details have been perfected by
Jamss b. Thsyer. professor at the Harvard La .
School assisted by T. II. Tibbles, OF Nebraska The
design IN to present radical reform bill TO Congress
next winter and to create In the coming recess a
strong public sentiment in its favor TO this end
series OF public meetings is to 10 held hroue hout the
county, The rst OF those meetings wac held tonieh
In the First Unitarian Church under the auspices Of
the Worcester Indian Association 1t was attended by
many prominent citizens, Professor Ihayer was the
principal speaker and the addr sses were made by Mr.
fbblss and his wife, The latter Is the Indian maiden
formerly known as Bright Eyes whose appeatancr IN
the rast created favorable an impression IN the days
OF the Ponca agitation. Professor ihayer explained
and elaborated the points wch he proposes to moor
porate into his bill In the first place. the pre- sent
1noan Bureau tn all its machinery OF cerks ageEts
inspectors etc. be abolished. In tact, the control
Of Indian affairs Is 10 be taken away from the Interior
Department All the property OF the Indians IN the
way FUNDS and annuiIies and the obligations OF the
Government to furnish agricultural Implements and
seeds il to be placed in the nds OF one trustee Tor
each reservation, who is to be appointed by the United
States Circuit Court within whose jurisdiction the res
ervation situated The Indian to be given all the
civil rights which Amercan citizen has except the
right to sell HE land that matter beng acccptaby
covered by Senator Dawes's L"nd in Severalty bill
Tho right to vote being political and not civil right
u not 70 be con erred by the bill. II all works
we'll that will later As the head OF the civil
government which it Is proposed to establish COM
missioner 10 to be appointed Tor each reservation by
fhe Circuit Court This commissioner 10 10 hold
tnal and civil terms Of court, at least once in each
month wherein Indians may be tried for criminal
offences and and be sued in actions OF contract and
tort The commissl Is to have authority to ap-
point court and police officers he is also to DO given
Jurisdiction over to audit his accounts and
70 him for subject to appeal to the court
The non- Intercourse law, which prohibits Indian
from trading with hte man except post trader,
licensed by the Indian Bureau and consequently makes
him the helpless victim OF gigantic swinding schemes
Il to he repealed. The present Indian schools which
ere nearly worthless, are to be turned over to the
Hupe intenden OF Education In the State Territory
Ia VII Oh the reservation NAV be, who shall have
authority to appoint reservation superintendents hire
teschers and have general supervision OF the schools
seeng that the mo.y provided BY the Government tor
the schools which comes through the hands OF the
trustees ia properly expended
Professor uayer claims that his system will cost less
than onefourth Of the amount now and that
the indiana under it will receive the full benefit OF
their property aud nights under their treaties or other
arrange Lents with the Ubited States Government.
lhese funds and obligations Of the Government arc
held by the tribes under varying conditions and are
administered by the Secretary Of the Interior For
some the tribes their capitalized value amounts TO
several millions Of dollars. For the Omahas tor ex
ample they amount 10 about $4,000 for every indi
yidrs OF the tIibs, making hem ono Of the richest
o1nnnities la the world yet the discretion OF the
Secsetssy il used In the management Of these FUNDS
and rsits that the Indians derive scarcely any 6esst
ing from oold and hunger. The ground taken by the
Massachusetts, reformers is that the Indian under
present. conditions " practically subject Of the SEQ